inspirations & ideas from the west coast

Got pills?

I have had this particular snuggly yet wildly awfully patterned blanket since second year of university. I must have, at one time, thought the colours in it were great but now they pretty much border on hideous. Even so, it currently atops my bed as it’s really warm to use in the spring-turning-to-summer season here on the West Coast, when the nights can get a little chilly.

I’ve never really wondered why this blanket has lasted me so long, but as of last night I now have an inkling. Picture the scene: my beloved cat jumped up to play a little “where’s the foot under the blanket” game of hide and pounce while I was reading in bed last night. After a few minutes of these shenanigans, which happen every night, he settled in for some ‘bum up next to me’ snuggling. But not before he had a little snack. As I sat there watching, the little creature gave the blanket his customary few licks before settling in. I’d noticed this licking thing before, so I tried to shoo him away from doing this. My efforts became futile as I discovered the licking is just a precursor to the real action – pill eating.

Yes I sat there and watched while he quickly spied and ate up several pills that had formed on the blanket. He got the same look in his eyes that he does when he sees a spider on the floor that he needs to eat. I couldn’t condone this behaviour but I couldn’t look away. Will this kitty stop at nothing when it comes to putting things in his belly? (Don’t even talk to me about the foamy shower sandal bits fiasco that let us to the emergency pet clinic a couple of years ago.)

In the end, I just had to laugh. Pills come and go (and now we know where), but cats stay around and amuse us for a long, long time.